Is real sea change here?

Is this the week when the decline of America 'began to slow'?

“College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.”

– Vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan

There were some stem-winding speeches at the convention – and for once, the vision exceeded the rhetoric.

But if this week’s freedom-loving, government-reducing, truth-telling oratory is successful in swinging the election, this may be remembered as the week a new Republican Party was born.

One that is finally serious about listening to its constituents and making the difficult choices to save America from financial and structural collapse.

It’s been coming for some time, of course. Bright young leaders such as Paul Ryan, Susana Martinez, Mia Love and others – an incredibly diverse lot, despite media protestations to the contrary – have been bubbling up through these United States for years, particularly since the Tea Party revolution of 2010. Most importantly, the new Republican Party has the benefit of seeing their predecessors’ errors – of going along with the exponential growth of government – and seems serious about turning this thing around.

No one encapsulated that hopeful change this week more than vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, who humorously noted his youth by pointing out the “elevator music” on presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s Ipod – and who, were he a Democrat, might be embraced by the media as the next JFK.

Ryan’s inspired line about 20-somethings languishing in their parents’ homes while the false hope of Obama dims was the season’s most memorable summation of a failed presidency – delivered, exquisitely, with a spirit of lament and sympathy.

Speaker after speaker this week explained the difference between this president’s message of class envy and traditional American notions of hard work, self-reliance and success – but, again, none better than Ryan:

“When I was waiting tables, washing dishes, or mowing lawns for money, I never thought of myself as stuck in some station in life. I was on my own path, my own journey, an American journey where I could think for myself, decide for myself, define happiness for myself. That’s what we do in this country. That’s the American Dream. That’s freedom, and I’ll take it any day over the supervision and sanctimony of the central planners.”

This is precisely the kind of vision and promise that conservatives, and most likely independents, have been waiting for – the kind of bold, honest talk America has needed for years.

The contrast between this week’s straight talk and tough love with next week’s Democratic National Convention is likely to be stark. Judging from the campaign so far, the tone in Charlotte will be one of division and derision. And they will pretend as if everything will be fine, if we can just avoid doing anything hard to confront our long-term problems.

Believe as you wish. Compare and contrast the messages.

But just remember that hope – real hope – doesn’t always come with sugar and fake Greek columns to bounce the lofty rhetoric off of. In politics, real hope comes from real leaders and intrepid leadership.

Contrary to what Mr. Obama wildly predicted in 2008, this isn’t the moment when “the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”

Rather, a more modest sea change may be occurring, thanks to a new Republican Party, in which “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans ... tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.”

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I don't know if you saw Paul Ryan's speech Wednesday night he lied to the American people. Some journalists and outlets covered Ryan's lies. But others failed to check the facts and didn't call Ryan out on his brazen lies. In this crucial election, news reporters have an obligation to educate the public about the facts regarding the major issues and call out the candidates every time they lie. Every single news outlet should report on these lies.That's why we the people need to urge Augusta Chronicle and the major news coroporations - ABC,CBS,NBC,CNN,FOX, and MSNBC - to live up to their obligation to report the truth. Here is a list of lies that Paul Ryan told when he gave his speech at the Republican National Convention. ( Lie:) President Obama is the " greatest threat" to Medicare. Truth: Obama didn't make any cuts to Medicare benefits: he made cuts to provider reimbursements, to improve cost efficiency and extend the fiscal security of Medicare by eight years. According to the Medicare actuary, Obama's Affordable Care Act makes important changes to the Medicare program and substantially improves its financial out look. (Lie:) Blaming President Obam for our credit downgrading - when the rating agency itself even explicitly blamed " Republicans." (Lie:) Claiming President Obama increased our national debt more than all the other presidents combined.(Lie:) Blaming him for a GM plant that closed in 2008, before President Obama even took office. And more. Ryan's speech was a clear signal to every Republican and right - wing group spending money this election that the truth will be no obstacle, anything goes and they have a green light to just make stuff up and smear Democrats progressives with outright lies.

"Truth-telling oratory" cannot be applied to Ryan ever again. His speech had so many lies and distortions in it- Fox News even had to call hime out, saying that Paul Ryans speech 'Was Attempt To Set World Record For Blatant Lies'.

"the kind of bold, honest talk America has needed for years." Come on now... bold face lies more like it. (I know the saying is bald-faced lie)

We do not have to lie to promote our conservative values!! We do not have to lie to make Obama look bad!!

This "new Republican Party" can take a hike if they are just going to lie to our faces like this. When Obama lies- we do not have a leg to stand on to call him out if we accept what Ryan said, and promote it, and have the audacity to call him "Truth-telling oratory". "Bold, honest talk America has needed for years." Does ACES truly believe Ryan's speech was honest?

Conservative 2.0 - Generation X - is coming up. We're going to have to continue to acquiesce to the fire breathing old guard for right now. We need the radical religious boomers to help us along until the torch is passed for good.

Ryan is a harbinger of things to come.

Allhans is right - we're going to make a big difference.

I'm excited about politics for the first time since 1992, when Perot caught my attention (and Perot's prognostications were largely dead-on) before he self imploded.

Let's go with Romney/Ryan and hope for eight years, and reassess at that time. Chances are good that Romney, should he be elected, will be the last Boomer to work in the Oval Office.

Even if Obama wins, at least we get a peek to the future after his reign.

I guess all the folks that object to Ryans speech because he called Obama out when Obama vistited the Janesville GM plant are really upset when Obama gave his Selma Alabama speech and said "Because they walked across that bridge a white women from Kansas could marry a goat herder from Africa..." Well Obama was born six years before Selma. I bet these same folks were upset when Obama talked about his mother having to fight with her health insurance companies as she died of cancer, only it never happened, once again Obma lied. I know Obama's Dreams of my father was fact checked about all the lies and inaccuracies (like the Kennedy Air Lift) yes I remember the fact checks, uh, um wait, it may come to me when it happened... Oh well I guess if your Obama you can just make garbage up and it is OK with the left....BWAHAHAHAHAHAA

Obama threatens Medicare by refusing to make firm plans to put it on a firm fiscal footing. His plan does take from providers and it will run out of money eventually. Does anyone think taking from providers won't hurt when more and more doctors tell Medicare patients they don't want them? Seniors know this and don't want to go begging for medical care from those who don't want to see them.

Let's wake up and realize you can't continue putting the same things in the shopping basket with no way to pay the cashier. The Republicans present a real plan to make cuts over the years to the program that will save it. We've kicked the can down the road until it's about smashed.

There are no moderates in today's Republican Party. Republicans in Congress have voted in lockstep on virtually every piece of their extreme right - wing agenda - Obama's jobs legislation, redefine rape, turn Medicare into a voucher program, to defund Planned Parenthood to repeal President Obama's health care law, and so much more. Mitt Romney's choice of Paul Ryan nationalizes the right - wing agenda that the House Republicans in Congress have been pushing for the past two years.

I'm not too sure that you can convict Paul Ryan of telling so many lies.

Some of it comes down to point of view. Obama DID take $716 billion our of Medicare. Cutting reimbursements to providers is a threat to Medicare. I've already had personal experience with two doctors here in town that are not taking any new Medicare patients due to the level of reimbursement. THAT is a threat to Medicare. What good is having Medicare if none of the doctor's will take it?

Whether you want to blame the downgrade on Republicans because they did not want to increase the debt ceiling, or blame Obama and the Democrats because they did not want to cut spending......that is a point of view. I personally blame Obama and the Democrats who would not cut spending for the downgrade. It was a stand-off of philosophy and who was to blame just depends on which approach you agree with.

And yes, GM had announced in June of '08 that the GM plant would close. But Obama told them he would keep that plant open in a campaign speech in the fall of '08. The plant remained open producing Subarus until June of '09. Technically Obama told the folks he would save the plant and technically it closed after Obama took office. Admittedly a stretch but technically the plant did close on Obama's watch.

And I would not put too much stock in the Fox News article on their website written by Sally Kohn. Even Fox hires some liberal "Fox News Contributors" and she is one. In fact, like our president, Sally Kohn is a former "community organizer" and as about as liberal as you get. Most of her career has been spent at ultra liberal organizations including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institure, Urban Justice Center, advisor to the Social Justice Infrastructure Fund, Center for Community Change, the Third Wave Foundation, etc., etc. You cannot assume from one "contributor" article on the Fox News website that Fox is calling Ryan a liar. Just google Sally Kohn and you will understand her slant on Ryan's speech. Oh yeh, she met her partner, Sarah Hanson, at the World Social Forum and Sarah is the Executive Director of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. 'Nuff said. Sally Kohn is a flaming liberal and was not likely to write a glowing revue of Ryan's speech. Regardless of what people think, Fox News does present opposing views of most issues and this is simply one example.

America gave him a chance. He could have been a bridge of hope. But his desired to destroy America could not be hidden.

But sadly, the new contract with America, will be no more than the last one. Once in the White House, Republicans will start campaigning for 2016.

America's Government and Politics are like a Category Five hurricane. You can talk all you want but you cannot change the direction. You can get out of the way. You can die standing in its path. And you will definitely PAY for its resulting destruction of life and property.

Every presidential candidate, from as far back as I can remember, has promised positive changes. We gave Obama more than enough changes to make good on his promises, and he has failed the people of America on every level. That is a fact, no matter how you spin it. We are now at a crossroads. We will be given a choice a couple of months from now on who we want to lead us through the next four years. The choice is clear, and that's when the real work will start. We need to hold Romney & Ryan accountable, and they are ready to be.

Frankly, I'm both surprized and disappointed that Obama hasn't been impeached already for breach of Oath of Office. "...To protect and defend the Constitution of the United Sates against all ememies forign and domestic".

Quoting Rev. James David Manning...... "The Long Legged Mack Daddy must go and take his posse with him ." We don't need a singer and a dancer and an entertainer.......We need a leader who is honest..... I mean wont lie and wont plunge this great nation deeper and deeper into debt and despair all the while smiling and skinning and grinning like a clown . A TelePrompter does not a wise man make. So long Mr. Obama.....

Yes you can convict Ryan of telling so many lies- because we have records, dates, and factual evidence for everything. You cannot successful try to re-write facts. You don't have to put any stock in the Fox News article- because every fact checker is saying the same thing.

I cannot fathom how you guys can twist things around so much.

These are the facts:

'Though Paul Ryan accused President Obama of taking $716 billion out of Medicare, the fact is that that amount was savings in Medicare reimbursement rates (which, incidentally, save Medicare recipients out-of-pocket costs, too) and Ryan himself embraced these savings in his budget plan.'

'While Ryan blamed President Obama for the shut down of a GM plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, the plant was actually closed under President George W. Bush. Ryan actually asked for federal spending to save the plant, while Romney has criticized the auto industry bailout that President Obama ultimately enacted to prevent other plants from closing.'

The downgrade is also of historical facts- and facts cannot be viewed from a different perspective.

'While Ryan blamed President Obama for the shut down of a GM plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, the plant was actually closed under President George W. Bush. Ryan actually asked for federal spending to save the plant, while Romney has criticized the auto industry bailout that President Obama ultimately enacted to prevent other plants from closing.'

It was a good effort, dichotomy, trying to attack the messenger as well. But you can ignore the writer of the fox piece which I quoted portions in this post as well, but where ever you turn- the facts will be there. No need to try and distort it.

And if people in the republican party are going to stand by distortions, and lies, and make attempts to change history and make up facts- then maybe you guys need to start your own party. This is the party of Lincoln, Honest Abe! Storytellers can stop calling themselves republicans, and start their own party, because you're damaging this party in ways you clearly don't understand.

Of course- not caring about facts makes sense when the message from the Romney camp is: "We're not going [To] let our campaign be dictated by Fact-Checkers."

And of course Rush Limbaugh is also saying the facts are wrong- so it makes sense the fringe in the GOP are in lock step again with this.

There is a joke going around which sums everything about the far right, in reference to Clint Eastwood's bizarre speech: "This is a perfect representation of the campaign: an old white man arguing with an imaginary Barack Obama."

Imaginary... that's what it's called when you make up your own facts and create a fantasy that counters reality.

TPARTY.....maybe it's just a perception problem. I've been lied to by Obama and the Democrats so much over the last 4 years, and see the results that prove they were lies, that I probably just side with the one that sounds more like the real truth.

You quote, as part of the record, how Ryan "embraced" the Medicare savings. Sure, a "budget" guy like Ryan would embrace almost any kind of cuts.....until Obama and the Democrats turned around and spent the money somewhere else. The cuts did not turn out to be savings.....just more "wealth redistribution" to Obamacare. Besides, I don't have to agree with every move he has ever made. At least he has a record to look at. Obama's legislative record mostly looked like "present". And for the last 4 years, his presidency mostly looks like "not present". We elected Obama and what we got was Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.....until 2010 when we put a stop to their crap. Since then Obama has been "out to lunch" on almost everything. Hillary had to drag him kicking and screaming to make the decision on Bin Laden.

Ryan may have spun some things in his speech, as all politicans do. But he in no way came close to outright lies like "you can keep your same insurance and your same doctor" and "it will drive the cost of health insurance down". And I am sure you remember "cut the deficit in half and balance the budget in my first term" along with "close GTMO in the first year".

If you think you can disuade me, or anyone else, from voting for the Romney/Ryan ticket because Ryan put a little spin in a political convention speech I believe you are barking up the wrong tree. The only one I will partially concede on is the GM plant thing and that still falls into the realm of "technicality".

My information on the Fox News "contributor" was spot on and you know it. She and all of the other "fact checkers" are trying to put Ryan in the worst light possible but their spin is even worse than Ryan's spin. And where the heck are the "fact checkers" when it comes to Obama's background and record.

Romney at one point last evening was talking about the space program, about Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, he said that it took an American....
One woman on another site that that was code for the "birther issue". You can't make this one up..it has gone from desperation to idiocy.

"If you think you can disuade me, or anyone else, from voting for the Romney/Ryan ticket because Ryan put a little spin in a political "

Ryan lied- and Romney's speech was messed up too last night. And my goal is to not convince people to vote against Romney- even though he is a democrate- but my goal is to hold our own people to a higher standard then what is going on around here.

And I'm not concerned on the background of the Fox News writer- because the facts pointed out does not change, even if you don't like her past, which again- doesn't matter to the article she wrote. And of course- you can dismiss the Fox News article- because there are tons more supporting the facts.

I've never understood why the right brings up GITMO, and Obama not being able to close it down. Romney wants to double the size of it!! So it's that a good thing for those who support GIMO that Obama didn't close it?

THe CBO says ObamaCare makes a lot of savings, which is probably the reason why conservatives came up with the idea something. Want to say it's not a conservative idea? Well, you can ask Mittens, who implemented the plan first, which Obama copied.

Obama's record in congress is not "mostly present". 3% of his votes were present- that's not mostly.

Ryan and others are not making the case that Obama is just moving the savings to other things, so it's not not savings any longer. Ryan and others are saying Obama has cut over $700B from medicare, and that makes him a bad guy! I can go get their ads and transcripts, but they are not trying to ding Obama for saving money- only to apply it elsewhere. No, they re trying to ding him for cutting over $700B from medicare.

And I cannot believe you said Hillary had to drag him kicking and screaming to make the decision to get bin Laden. That is false as well.

Again- Clint Eastwood arguing with an empty chair sums up the delusion going on to attack Obama.

"Romney at one point last evening was talking about the space program, about Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, he said that it took an American...."

While Mitt Romney was speaking warmly and poetically about going to the moon, and how exemplary Neil Armstrong was as an American.... I wonder if Mittens forgot Neil Armstrong was a government employee, the Apollo program was an expensive government program, the flag, and yes even Neil Armstrong's boots are government property. All of the technology, material and personnel were government direct or contract employees. So...what was Romney's point again?

TParty..The point he was making? America did this...not some other country, but the exceptional country, the United States. It's awful, simply dreadful, that our United country has become so divisive. One of the candidates will win in November and woe unto us if the wrong person wins for then we the people will be the losers....

Is anyone saying America did not put men on the moon, and return them home safely?

Isn't the argument a fundamental one? Obama and the liberals love government, while the GOP wants no part of it because it fails, doesn't work?

And irony of this statement is not lost on me:

"It's awful, simply dreadful, that our United country has become so divisive. One of the candidates will win in November and woe unto us if the wrong person wins for then we the people will be the losers...."

If you want to argue 2016 lets keep talking about Ryan. It has to say something about the republican presidential candidate when the conservative supporting Augusta Chronicle can only come up with a discussion about HIS running mate.